Malin Kivelä, Martin Glaz Serup and Linda Bondestam / Picture Books
29
Malin Kivelä © Niklas Sandström and Mathias Olander
(b. 1974) has written novels, children’s books and plays, and her writing has been published in several languages, including Vogue Italia. She has studied journalism and theatre. Her special interests include space, television series and dance.
Martin Glaz Serup (b. 1978) is an awarded Danish author who lives in Copenhagen where he works as a teacher of literary studies at the University of Copenhagen. He has published several children’s books, poetry collections, chapbooksessays and prose work and also works as a literary critique for different publications.
If You Meet a Bear (Om du Möter en Björn) 40 pages | Förlaget M | 2021
A quirky field guide on what to do if you encounter a bear in the forest that encourages to talk about the relationship between humans and animals. A must-read for every aspiring outdoor adventurer! Are you prepared for a bear encounter? This amusing picture book attempts to offer advice about what to do and not do if you come upon a bear while venturing into the forest. Should one run away, climb high or maybe just offer your honey jar to the bear as soon as possible? Several facts to remember about this furry creature. This laugh-out-loud, how-to guide is brought to life by awarded illustrator Linda Bondestam’s expressive artwork that captures the contrast between the dangers of the dark forest and exuberant storytelling. Published simultaneously in In Swedish by Förlaget M, in Danish by Jensen & Dalgaard and in Finnish by Teos. If you meet a bear was nominated for two of the most pretigious Nordic literary prizes 2021: The August Prize and the Finlandia Junior Prize. It was also nominated for Runeberg Junior in Finland 2022.
Illustrated by Linda Bondestam
"If you meet a bear takes hold off the full potential of the picture book format." August prize jury 2021
